Shloka 116
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
दुर्बलं पीडयेद्यस्तु तथैव गदसंयुतम् । अतिबालातिवृद्धं च स गोहत्यां समालभेत्
durbalaṃ pīḍayedyastu tathaiva gadasaṃyutam | atibālātivṛddhaṃ ca sa gohatyāṃ samālabhet
Wer den Schwachen bedrückt, ebenso den Kranken, und auch den ganz Jungen und den sehr Alten, der lädt die Sünde des Kuhmordes auf sich.
Unspecified (narratorial/dharmic instruction within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)
Concept: Oppressing the weak, sick, very young, or very old is tantamount to the gravest violence; cruelty to the vulnerable equals go-hatyā in moral weight.
Application: Adopt a ‘vulnerable-first’ ethic: never coerce labor from the weak/sick/elderly/children; build safeguards in family, workplace, and community; intervene against abuse.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A frail, sickly ox and an aged cow stand trembling under a harsh driver’s shadow; the scene freezes at the moment compassion intervenes—an elder or sage raises a hand in prohibition, as if dharma itself blocks the blow. The air feels charged with moral consequence, like a courtroom of the unseen.","primary_figures":["weak/sick animal (ox/cow)","cruel driver (as negative figure)","sage/elder intervenor (dharmic protector)","invisible presence of Dharma (symbolic)"],"setting":"dusty roadside near fields, a cart in the background, a small wayside shrine or dharma-stambha","lighting_mood":"dramatic chiaroscuro","color_palette":["dust umber","storm gray","warning vermilion","ashen white","protective saffron"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moral tableau—sage with raised palm halting cruelty toward a frail cow/ox, gold leaf emphasizing the dharmic gesture and shrine aura, rich reds and greens framing the warning, ornate border with symbolic conch/discus motifs, strong contrast between compassion and violence.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: tense roadside scene with refined expressions—fear in the animal’s eyes, stern compassion in the protector’s face, muted earth tones with a sharp vermilion accent, delicate brushwork conveying vulnerability and ethical intervention.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized figures, the protector’s hand as central icon, red-yellow-green palette with dark grounding, expressive eyes amplifying karuṇā and raudra, temple-wall moral didacticism.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical composition—central cow as sacred being, surrounding border of lotuses and protective motifs, a dharma-guardian figure intervening, deep blue and gold highlights, symbolic rather than violent depiction, emphasizing sanctity and protection."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sharp temple bell strike","wind over dry ground","distant cattle cry","sudden silence after admonition"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पीडयेद्यस्तु = पीडयेत् + यः + तु; तथैव = तथा + एव; अतिबालातिवृद्धं = अतिबालातिवृद्धम् (m.c.); गोहत्यां = गोहत्याम्.
FAQs
It equates harming vulnerable people (the weak, sick, very young, and very old) with a grave sin, stressing ahimsa and protection of those unable to defend themselves.
Gohatya is treated as a major transgression in many dharma texts; the comparison intensifies the moral seriousness of exploiting the vulnerable.
The weak (durbala), the ill (gada-saṃyuta), the very young (atibāla), and the very old (ativṛddha).